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Two – Fl

erware caught the candlelight, the way the waiter hovered as if we were royalty, and the way the walls, lined in dark wood and framed with modern art,

here was t

and perfectly terrifying. My name wasn't on it yet, but it might as we

No strings. Just obligations a

ed up a

a second skin, and his fingers rested lazily on a crystal glass of whiskey, as though he had all the time in the world. There

t intimi

furia

sked finally, my voice a low murmur despite

wasn't," he said, his voice smooth as marble. "We both get what we want. You get the money for your gr

ike this was nothing more than

terly. "Like marrying a stranger is just

d, studying me. "

e asking me to sell my

'm not the villain here, Flora. I'm not forcin

lap. "A choice between letting my grandmother

"Life's full o

so calm it made my skin crawl. A sleek silver

r. I couldn't. Instead, I

st missed it. "Because you're desperate. And because you're the

he'd done the math and I was the most convenient solut

," I said, trying to ma

't have to like each other. We just ha

n what? We pretend none of this ha

tly. No attachme

That wo

sane. Marrying Lucas was insanity. But not marrying him

death, working two jobs to keep food on the table and my dreams alive. Now she was wasti

, even crowdfunding-but nothing came close to

to owe you,"

It's mutual. We use eac

oice made me pause. A tight

't the only

feeling that there was som

My hand hovered over it

me, his expres

pen. The metal felt cold agai

scratching across the

d nod. He took the contract and placed it bac

ch out to you. We'll draft a public announcement and plan a few appearan

ldn't

was

na

s sealed i

e polished floor. A few heads turned our way, but I didn't care. I

od, Luca

e said, st

ned,

t like it pained him-he said, "You'r

in his eyes. Sadness? Regret? But then it w

n't. My throat was tight,

ight greeted m

Harsh.

walk, the echo of my heels swallowed by traffic. People bus

just signe

ye

red and th

le one of them

in my pocket, but I ignored it. I already knew who it was. Probably the hospital ag

e money was coming. She'd g

felt was

was simple. Cl

y feel one sinking

gned the

d given away mo

him a piec

terrifyi

how much more

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